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Clark Says Steelers Use Pot

New York Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie thinks the NFL should let its players smoke marijuana and it sounds like Cromartie has an ally in Steelers safety Ryan Clark. During an interview with ESPN's First Take on Thursday, Clark said his teammates are smoking pot, but for the most part, they're only smoking it to soothe the pain of playing in the NFL.

"I know guys on my team who smoke," Clark said. "A lot of it is stress relief. A lot of it is pain and medication. Guys feel like, 'If I can do this, it keeps me away from maybe Vicodin, it keeps me away from pain prescription drugs and things that guys get addicted to.' Guys look at this as a more natural way to heal themselves, to stress relieve and also to medicate themselves for pain. Guys are still going to do it."

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was asked about the subject before the Super Bowl and he didn't sound like a man who had any plans of of allowing marijuana-use anytime soon.

"This has been something that has been asked several times and I'll try to be as clear as I possibly can: It is still an illegal substance on a national basis," Goodell said on Jan. 31. "It's something that's part of our collective bargaining agreement with our players. It's questionable with respect to the positive impact but there is certainly some very strong evidence to the negative impacts, including addiction and other issues."

Cromartie's stance is that players are going to do it, so just let them do it, ""They need to just let it go," Cromartie told Ashlee Ray of This Is 50 on Jan. 31. "[Players] just going to do it anyway. They just need to let it go. They need to go ahead and say, 'Ya'll go ahead, smoke it, do what you need to do.'"

On Thursday, Clark pretty much agreed with Cromartie's stance.

"It's 100 percent true. They're fighting a losing battle. The testing isn't stringent," Clark said. "There is one random test during OTAs and minicamps during the offseason, and everybody will be tested early in training camp. After that, there are no more tests. So guys understand the ways to get around failing a drug test."

Obviously not everyone understands how to get around failing a drug test or there wouldn't be any suspensions for marijuana-use.

As for Clark, he took a page out of Cromartie's playbook and took to Twitter to clarify that he doesn't smoke pot himself. Cromartie did the same thing on Wednesday.

If it turns out the use of marijuana has to be worked into the CBA, the players will have to wait awhile before marijuana-use will be allowed. The players and owners are only three seasons into the 10-year CBA that was agreed upon in 2011.

Steelers safety Ryan Clark dropped a little bomb into the team's lap on Thursday as he prepares to head into free agency.

Making one of his regular appearances on ESPN's "First Take," Clark, who is working to make sure he has a job in the media after football, said that he knows that some of his teammates smoke marijuana and that the NFL's testing for that drug isn't nearly stringent enough to catch abusers of the substance.

Clark isn't telling any secrets.

Not only are there marijuana users in the Steelers' locker room, but around the league as well. But I doubt the number of marijuana users is any higher than it is among the general public fo

r young men between the ages of 21 and 35.

In fact, in the transcript of thousands of Tweets between Ritchie Incognito and Jonathan Martin, there are some references by Martin of a party at "Pouncey's" house in which there was drug usage.

We can assume that Martin was referring to Miami center Mike Pouncey, the twin brother of Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey.

The Incognito-Martin tweets also make a great number of references to drinking alcohol as well.

So the usage of some recreational drugs by NFL players is nothing new. Ever seen North Dallas Forty?

Clark's teammates might not appreciate being outed. And I'm sure the Steelers and the NFL don't appreciate his candor in the matter.

But the league is fooling itself if it thinks an offseason drug test during OTAs or minicamp and another during training camp is going to keep its players from taking a toke here or there.

This is why I wanted this fool cut two years ago. He gave glimpses of his true character then. He's a turd. No way he should have put his teammates on the spot like that. We are already under the microscope of Adolf Goodall and now he's going to be all over us even more. Steeler players will be taking p!ss test 8 times a week now. Gzzzzzzzzzzzz

This is why I wanted this fool cut two years ago. He gave glimpses of his true character then. He's a turd. No way he should have put his teammates on the spot like that. We are already under the microscope of Adolf Goodall and now he's going to be all over us even more. Steeler players will be taking **** test 8 times a week now. Gzzzzzzzzzzzz

They cannot test Steelers any more than what is spelled out in the CBA. The union would be all over it.

Sounds like a bitter guy about to be let go. I've lost all respect you Clark. This guy still tries to lead with his head when playing or tackling. But he can't use his head. Good riddance. He's in the yancey Thigpen and Carnell lake category now. Guys who left, but can't praise the organization that made them.